busting with flavoursthe abundant North West
The villages of the far north-western corner of Azerbaijan, encompassing the regions of Gakh, Zagatala and Balaken, are blessed with verdant gardens brimming with hazelnuts and persimmons. So abundant are they that the harvests of both are celebrated annually: each autumn the Hazelnut Festival takes place in Zagatala while Balaken hosts the Persimmon Festival.
The mountainous areas of Gakh, meanwhile, are known for their use of dried meat. One dish is particularly famous: ‘surhullu.’ This hearty meal is made of pieces of dough, shaped by hand, topped with meat that has been left out to dry over winter. A great place to sample it is in the region’s highest village of Saribash.
Other culinary features of the North West are the use of roses to make jams and rose water and the wonderful honey produced in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains.
